Photographic developing apparatus.



No. 729,903. PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

G. J. STAGE. PHQTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING-APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1903. I I0 MODEL. 2 sums-sum 1.

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NVENTD R= PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

G. J. STAGE. 7 PHOTOGRAPHIG DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION. FILED JAN. 31, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET H0 MODEL.

4| |llllll|||lll I llll llllllllllllll lllll.l ll.llllllll l Llllll llllllllcl ll|||l|l lllllu Nviy m- UNITED STATES Patented May 26, 1903 V PATENT OFFICE.

PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,003, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed January 31, 1903. $erial No. 141,304. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. STAGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rochester, in the countyof Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic Developing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to photographic developing apparatus; and its object is to provide means whereby plates and films in sheets may be developed in daylight.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the developing apparatus. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of a frame adapted to transfer the plate or film from the plate-holder to the developing box in position upon the plate-holder. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a top View of the developing-box and reservoir.

In the drawings, A represents a developing-loox of suitable size and proportions to contain the photographic plate or film-sheet that is to be developed and a sufficient quantity of the developing fluid. Adjoining the developing-box proper there is a reservoir A, adapted to hold the developing fluid and from which it is introduced into the developingbox A through a channel provided for that purpose after the plate or film has been placed within said box. The reservoir A is represented in the drawings as constituting part of the structure of the developing-box A and as separated from said developing-box proper by a partition A (See Fig. 2.) The connection between said reservoir Aand said developingbox A is represented in the drawings as consisting of a narrow slit a beneath the partition A The slit to is preferably made so narrow that the fluid will not pass freely through it until the reservoir and box are tilted, and accordingly very little of the fluid will pass from the reservoir to the developing-box A before the operator is ready to develop the plate.

The developing fluid is introduced into the reservoir A through any suitable opening therein, and means are provided for shieldin g said developer from light when in the reservoir. In the drawings the reservoir A is represented as open at the top for this purpose, and a series of shields a a a a are shown, which project out into said reservoir from its side walls on either side alternately, so that each shield-overlies the one next beneath it. In this way a circuitous channel is formed leading into the reservoir from its open top through which light cannot penetrate to the fluid. The shields may be so constructed that opposing surfaces will have an angle with the parallel sides of the reservoir and will-be parallel with each other, as illustrated by the shields a a Fig. 2, so that a circuitous passage of uniform sizewill be formed between such shields.

Vertical guides a are shown in the devel* oping-box A for directing the plate X to its position on the bottom of said boxand retaining it there,and a catch a is also adapted to retain said plate in position when the box is tilted. As the plate X is dropped into the developing-boxA its weight is sufficient to force back the catch a", so that said plate falls beneath the foot a of said catch.

. The frame B is employed to transfer the plate from the plate-holder O to the developing-box. By means of this frame the plate can be taken from the plate-holder, that is so constructed that a plate or film can only be removed from it sensitized face foremost and placed in the developing-box with the sensitized face uppermost, in which position the developing fluid can wash evenly and thoroughly over the face of the plate and the process of developing can be observed. In most other developing apparatus that has been made heretofore for developing plates and films in daylightthe sensitized plate is placed in the developing-box with the sensitized face down, and in that position it cannot be properly treated with the developing fluid nor can the process of developing be observed by the operator.

The frame B is adapted for use with any plate-holder that is so constructed that the plate can be transferred from it into said frame without exposing it to the light. In Fig. 4 the frame B is represented as used in connection with a plate-holder 0, adapted to contain two plates or films, from which the plates or films can be dropped into said frame B through the side of the plate-holder when the slide in front of the plate or film has been withdrawn. The general form of the plateholder is represented in dotted lines in said Fig. 4:; but its construction is not shown in detail.

The frame B is shown in the drawings as open on one side and as of suitable size and proportions to contain the plate or film. The opening on'the side is large enough to permit the plate or film to pass through it. A slide B is adapted to close the open side of the frame Bin the usual manner, and another similar slide B on the other side of the frame uncovers when withdrawn a ruby or other non-actinic glass B through which the process of developing the plate can be observed. A septum B divides the frame B centrally and has a hole B through its center (represented in Fig. 1) for inspecting the plate or film in the developing-box A.

The frame Bis rabbeted or otherwise formed on one and the same side to fit light-tight both the plate-holder that contains the plate or film and the top of the developing-box A.

A plate or film is transferred from the plateholder to the developing-box through the in termediation of the frame B in the following manner: The frame B is placed beneath the plate-holder so that the rabbeted sides engage, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The two are locked together by suitable catches. (Not shown.) The slide B is then withdrawn from the frame B and the plate or film is dropped through the side of the plate-holder into said frame B. Next the slide B is replaced in the frame B, so as to close that side of the frame and protect the plate or film from light, and said frame is removed from the plate-holder O and placed on top of the developing-box A in the position shown in Fig. 2. In this latter position the same side of the frame B that engaged with the plate-holder (J is in contact with the top of the developingbox. The frame B is locked to the box A, as by the catches A The plate 00 now occupies a position in the frame B corresponding with that shown by the dotted lines 00 in Fig. 2. If the slide B is withdrawn from the frame B, the plate will drop, sensitized face uppermost, from said frame into the developing-box A between the guides of and beneath the foot (1 of the spring a The frame B excludes the light from said developing-box A, and the developing fluid having been inserted in the reservoir A in the manner described above it can be introduced into the developing-box A by tilting the frame until the fluid runs out ot'the reservoir A through the opening a into the developing-box A. 5 Then by rocking the developin -box A the fiuid is caused to flow back and forth over the plate. If the slide B is removed, the process of developing can be observed through the hole B in the septum B and the ruby glass B When the plate has been developed, the developing fluid is removed from said developing-box A without removing the frame B from it by tilting said box until the fluid passes back through the passage a into the reservoir A and then out from the said reservoir over its upper edge. It will be observed that the side A of the reservoiris lower than the sides of the developing-box A. These parts are so proportioned in order that the fluid may pass over the edge of the side A of the reservoir before it reaches the top of the developing: box A.

After the developing fluid has been poured out of the developing-box A and the reservoir A water is introduced into said developing-box through the reservoir A and channel a in the same way that the developing fluid was previously introduced for the purpose of washing said plate, and finally after the developing-box A and reservoir A have been emptied of water the fixingfluidis poured into the said box in the same waythrough the reservoir and channel a.

What I claim is 1. In aphotographic developing apparatus, the combination of a developing-box adapted to hold both the plate or film and the developing fluid, of a frame for transferring the plate or film from the plate-holder to the developing-box adapted to receive the plate or film from a plate-holder, and to discharge it into the developing-box with the sensitized face of said plate uppermost, without exposing said plate to light; means for excluding light from said'developing-box; and means for introducing developing fluid into said box after the plate or film has been placed therein, without admitting light.

2. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a developing-box adapted to hold both the plate or film and the developing fluid, of a reservoir adapted to hold developing fluid; a connection between said box and said reservoir; and a frame for trans ferring the plate or film from the plate-holder to the developing-box adapted to receive the plate or film from a plate-holder, and to discharge it into the developing-box with the sensitized face of said plate uppermost, without exposing said plate to light; and means for excluding light from said developing-box.

3. In aphotographic developing apparatus, the combination with a developing-box adapted to hold both the plate or film and developing fluid; ofalight-proof frame fortranferring the plate or film from the plate-holder to the developing-box adapted to contain such plate or film and to form a light-tight connection both with the developing-box and. with the plate-holder; means for admitting the plate or film to said frame from said plate-holder and for discharging it, face uppermost, into said developing-box, without exposing it to light; and means for introducing developing fluid into said box after the plate or film has been placed therein, withoutadmittinglight.

at. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a developing-box adapted to hold both the plate or film and developing fluid; of a light-proof frame adapted to contain the said plate or film, having one and the same side adapted to form a light-tight connection both with the developing-box and with the plate-holder, and having an opening in said side to admit the plate or film; means for closing said opening light tight; and means for introducing developing fluid into said box after the plate or film has been placed therein, without admitting light.

5. In aphotographic developing apparatus, the combination with a developing-box adapted to hold both the plate or film and developing fluid, of a light-proof frame adapted to contain such plate or film, having one and the same side adapted to form a light-tight connection, both with the developing-box and with the plate-holder, an opening in said side to admit the plate or film; a slide to close such opening; and means for introducing developing fluid into said box after the plate or film has been placed therein without admitting light.

6. In a photographic. developing apparatus 4 the combinationwith a developing-box of means for excluding light from said box; a reservoir adapted to hold developing fluid and having an opening for its introduction; overlapping shields in front of said opening that project into said reservoir from either side alternately so as to form a tortuous passage from the opening to that part of the res ervoir that contains the fluid; and a connection between said developing-box and said reservoir.

7. The photographic developing apparatus, comprising the developing-box A, and the reservoir A, with a connection between them for the passage of fluid; and the shields a a in the reservoir A, whose opposite sides are parallel, substantially as shown and described. 8. In a photographic developing apparatus, a frame for transferring the plate or film from a plate-holder to a developing-box, comprising a light-proof frame, having one and the same side adapted to make a light-tight connection both with the plate-holder and the developing-box, and an opening in such side through which the plate or film can be introduced into said frame from the plateholder, and discharged therefrom into the developing-box, and means for closing such opening.

9. In a photographic developing apparatus, a frame for transferring the plate or film from a plate-holder to a developing-box, comprising a light-proof frame, having one and the same side adapted to make a light-tight connection both with the plate-holder and the developing-box, and an opening in such side through which the plate or film can be introduced into said frame from the plateholder, and discharged therefrom into the developing-box; means for closing such opening, and a non-actinic glass in its other side.

10. In a photographic developing apparatus, a frame for transferring the plate or film from a plate-holder to a developing-box, comprising a light-proof frame, having one and the same side adapted to make a light-tight connection both with the plate-holder and the developing-box, and an opening in such side through which the plate or film can be introduced into said frame from the plateholder, and discharged therefrom into the developing-box, means i or closing such opening; a non-actinic glass in the other side; and a removable cover for said glass.

11. The frame B having one and the same side adapted to fit light-tight both upon a plate-holder and upon a developing-box, having an opening in said side adapted for the passage of a plate or film therethrough, and having the slides B, B septum B and nonactinic glass B substantially as shown and described.

12. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with the'developing-box A, of the reservoir A; a connection between said developing-box and reservoir through which fluid can pass; the frame B having one of its sides adapted to fit light-tight upon the developing-box, and having an opening in said side for the passage of a plate or film, and the slide B; substantially as shown and described.

13. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with the developing-box A, of the reservoir A; a connection between said developing-box and reservoir through which fluid can pass; the frame 13 having one of its sides adapted to fit light-tight upon the developing-box, and having an opening in said side forthe passage of a plate or film; the slides B, B and the non-actinic glass B substantially as shown and described.

ICO

14. The combination with the developingbox A, of the reservoir A separated from each other by the partition A and connected therewith by the passage a; shields a a in the reservoirA; the frame B adapted to fit light-tight the top of the developing-box A; the slides B, B and the non-actinic glass B substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE J. STAGE.

Witnesses:

D. GURNEE, F. BIssELL.

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